December 31 - Breaks metatarsal bone in defeat at Tottenham and is ruled out for "several months".

2006: June 20 - Regains fitness to take his place at the World Cup but injures his knee in first minute of group game against Sweden in Cologne and is immediately replaced. Ruled out for at least nine months.

2007: April 30 - Owen makes first competitive start in over 10 months, playing the full 90 minutes as Newcastle lose 1-0 to Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

2008: January 19 - Appointed Newcastle captain by new manager Kevin Keegan.

2009: May - Finishes the season with 10 goals as Newcastle are relegated from the Premier League on the final day.

June 22 - Confirms that he will not be renewing his contract with Newcastle.

July 3 - Reports link Owen with free transfer to Manchester United and he later signs a two-year contract with the champions after passing medical tests.

September 22 - Claims a dramatic winner in the sixth minute of injury time to seal a 4-3 win over Manchester City.

2010: March 5 - Ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

2011: May - Makes enough league appearances to claim a title winner's medal but is an unused substitute in United's Champions League Final defeat to Barcelona at Wembley.

November 2 - Substituted early in Champions League group stage match against Otelul Galati and misses the rest of the season.

2012: May 17 - Reveals on Twitter that Manchester United would not be offering him a new deal after three years with the club.

September 4 - Now a free agent, signs for Stoke on a one-year contract.

September 15 - Makes Potters debut as an 89th-minute substitute against Manchester City.

2013: March 19 - Announces he will retire from professional football at the end of the season.